New Delhi: The country's urea production is likely to come in lower by 3,00,000 tonnes at 24.1 million tonnes this fiscal as some plants are under renovation, says a senior fertiliser ministry official.
The country had produced 24.4 million tonnes (mt) of urea in 2016-17, it said.
"Total urea output will be less because some plants are shut down and renovating to meet energy efficiency. That's why there will be a reduction of 3 lakh tonnes," the official said. However, this will be a temporary impact, he added.
The production of urea has been on the rise over the past two years, but is still short of the annual demand of about 32 mt. Therefore, some quantity is still imported.
According to the official, the capacity of urea plants is being fully utilised and sick units are being revamped to achieve self-sufficiency in urea output.
The government is trying to reduce urea consumption, given that this fertiliser is being used excessively as it is cheaper than other soil nutrients in the country, he explained.
As a result, the government has introduced neem coating of urea and is planning its sale in a 45-kg bag instead of the 50-kg from next year.